Winch Safety Question

[flick2614]

I'm going to 2nd that there is a better way to do almost everything in that screen shot. Standing in the death zone is the first. As mentioned the angle of the pull seems to be less than ideal. It looks like there are plenty of trees to run a snatch block off and pull directly to the right. Can't see the front of the vehicle but I'm hoping there is a 2nd line to keep the Jeep from slamming down into the ruts and possibly tipping the other way.
3rd what the hell is the line attached to? almost looks like it's under the axle.

If the story is they all made it out alive with minimal damage to the Jeep then they did everything right, just not the way I would've.

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[cj7ox]

Definitely wouldn't let anyone stand that close to the winch line, synthetic or not. The places those two are standing is right in the whip zone if something goes wrong. I've not always used a "blanket" in the past (steep angle on the line when pulling up a hill because the "blanket" kept sliding all the way down). I always make all by standers get way back behind the winching vehicle, or way off to the side. That clip should give anybody with more than a couple brain cells a serious case of the willies!

 

[47Jeepster]

Did you happen to Notice what the winch line was attached to. It looked like a giant rubber band to me. That has not been my experience. But you mileage my very.

No rubber band. One end was attached to a giant 20 ton capacity tree saver - wrapped around a giant tree ... 1:40 and 15:50. The other end was attached to a tracked dozer (D20 Fiat Allis ... ~30tons) via another tree saver type strap ... 2:43. So, great setup for testing winch lines.

 

[SadRobot]

Also, please stop putting pets in the death zone.

 

[Zandcwhite]

It turned out fine. Comments are a mix of good job and bro don’t stand there. His response Is to tell everyone to calm down. He says his dyneema winch rope “stores no energy” and will “drop like a dead snake“.

This seems to defy what I remember in physics class, maybe less weight and less energy but, no energy, I’m struggling with that. Maybe i slept through that part of class.

It drops like a dead snake...shot out of a cannon. I've broken several synthetic lines over the years and seen dozens. None caused any injury or even damage. Even a simple sweatshirt drapped over the line will drop it to the ground so it doesn't typically hit either vehicle. That said all have broken the line itself not the mount or shackle or attachment point so there's no real projectiles. Still wouldn't stand that close because it will be like a bull whip and could certainly cut the hell out of you. That and there's no reason to be that close. Even if he needed to be in between the Jeeps for communication he could be 5' away from the line and safe.

 

[ag4ever]

I would not be next to the cable nor behind either vehicle in line with the pull.

The only safe spot for me is to the side out of the rope radius. The big concern with a synthetic rope failure is if the attachment point fails and the stored energy is in the mass of steel connected to the rope.

Life is way to short and fragile to intentionally put yourself or others in harm’s way, just because it has never happened before.

 

[Ratbert]

It drops like a dead snake...shot out of a cannon. I've broken several synthetic lines over the years and seen dozens. None caused any injury or even damage. Even a simple sweatshirt drapped over the line will drop it to the ground so it doesn't typically hit either vehicle. That said all have broken the line itself not the mount or shackle or attachment point so there's no real projectiles. Still wouldn't stand that close because it will be like a bull whip and could certainly cut the hell out of you. That and there's no reason to be that close. Even if he needed to be in between the Jeeps for communication he could be 5' away from the line and safe.

We can't really tell what it's tied to in @Terrymo's picture, but I'd assume it's metal with mass. It could be "bad" if that broke loose, right?

 

[ChoSunJuan]

Always stay clear of the line of fire. Also, never put yourself in a crush zone, ie between a rock/tree and the vehicle, or on the downward side of the vehicle.

 

[flick2614]

We can't really tell what it's tied to in @Terrymo's picture, but I'd assume it's metal with mass. It could be "bad" if that broke loose, right?

It likely has some attachment point on the end of it, likely metal. My bigger concern is the amount of tension put on the line by running it under the axle. At some point the entire vehicle weight will be on the line adding to the stress of the pull.

 

[Terrymo]

I’m not intentionally withholding information but have a very remote association with the group so trying to be respectful. My only question was on positioning relative to the winch line. Fbook remarks are mostly please don’t stand there and the director of the winching repeatedly saying zero problems with my choices you don’t know what you’re talking about.

I showed the video to my wife who took the two day offroad course with me. I simply said, look at this cool recovery video, and she said, “why would he stand tight there?“ Then, “why is the guy with the phone anywhere near there?”

 

[47Jeepster]

... I showed the video to my wife who took the two day offroad course with me. I simply said, look at this cool recovery video, and she said, “why would he stand tight there?“ Then, “why is the guy with the phone anywhere near there?”

Looks like your wife is smarter than the majority of folks on Facebook.

 

[THAW]

On the question of synthetic lines and winch dampers/blankets, this video has some interesting demonstrations/tests:

 

[Terrymo]

On the question of synthetic lines and winch dampers/blankets, this video has some interesting demonstrations/tests:

I wish he would have put one end at a realistic winch height, and then both ends at realistic heights. Just to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[SadRobot]

I’m not intentionally withholding information but have a very remote association with the group so trying to be respectful. My only question was on positioning relative to the winch line. Fbook remarks are mostly please don’t stand there and the director of the winching repeatedly saying zero problems with my choices you don’t know what you’re talking about.

I showed the video to my wife who took the two day offroad course with me. I simply said, look at this cool recovery video, and she said, “why would he stand tight there?“ Then, “why is the guy with the phone anywhere near there?”

What course did you guys take? I was looking for s winch/safety course but never found one and then forgot about it.

 

[ObiMatt87]

On the question of synthetic lines and winch dampers/blankets, this video has some interesting demonstrations/tests:

Thanks for the share. Very interesting. Filling it with dirt made a huge difference, which makes sense. At least in this series of tests, I definitely would not want to be standing on the right side of the vehicle. The rope went that way a lot...

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